Work Text:
Qatar Grand Prix
December 1, 2024
Morning in the hotel room
The Middle Eastern sun streamed through the hotel room curtains, shining directly onto the faces of the sleeping couple, wrapped in sheets and nestled gently against each other's necks.
Max's arm was draped across his partner's back, his nose tickled by the tousled nest of dark chestnut curls. Charles was practically curled up against his alpha's chest, inhaling the scent of rain and mint.
The alarm clock rang, heralding the start of the workday. The racers groaned in unison, reluctant to leave their shared nest and the comfort it offered. Max stirred first, shutting off his phone with his eyes still closed.
"Shattie, it's time," the alpha mumbled, pulling Charles closer and hugging him.
The Ferrari driver, still drowsy, smiled and snuggled closer to his boyfriend. "Nah, we've got time."
Max reached out to Charles's face, smiling so broadly that his piercing blue eyes crinkled into small smiles, and pecked him on the nose. "Let's shower together, I'll scrub your back," he said, a slightly mischievous grin spreading across his face.
"Ugh, go splash around by yourself, I need five more minutes," Charles retorted, smugly settling back onto the unoccupied side of the bed and shielding his eyes from the warm morning rays.
Chuckling softly at his partner's dramatics, Max retrieved clean underwear from his suitcase and headed for the shower, leaving the bathroom door ajar, just in case the omega decided to join him.
Charles, of course, didn't fall back asleep. His mind was preoccupied with a single thought, one closely tied to the pregnancy test tucked away in his backpack. A positive pregnancy test.
He'd discovered his condition on Wednesday of that week. Strange reactions to other people's scents and the taste of familiar foods had prompted him to take the test. So, after his morning workout and run, he'd asked Andrea, his personal trainer, to stop by the pharmacy.
["Um... I have a favor to ask. But please, don't jump to conclusions, it's just to be sure," Charles nervously twirled the ring on his right hand. "Could you please buy a pregnancy test?"
To say that Andrea's face registered shock would be an understatement.
After a half-minute, or what felt like an hour to Charles, Andrea replied, "Of course, if it'll ease your mind. You can head home, I'll bring it to you."]
Max wasn't home then, he was meeting with Daniel, who'd come to congratulate him on his championship. So, Charles endured the tense five minutes in the company of his cats and Leo.
Surprisingly, even to himself, the omega wasn't overly anxious about the two red lines on the tests. He and Max had a stable relationship, officially together since 2020, and they'd known each other since childhood. Though they hadn't always been friends, their bond had only strengthened after the 2022 championship battle. They'd discussed having little Lestappens (yes, they adored the content under that hashtag) and were both enthusiastic about starting a big family. Perhaps now, at the end of the 2024 season, it was a bit early, they'd planned on having pups after one of them retired. But my god, they were happy, they loved each other, and everything was falling into place perfectly. Besides, Charles had just signed another multi-year contract with Ferrari, which included a generous maternity leave clause.
Now, surrounded by the mingled pheromones of himself and his alpha, under the warm eastern sun, he was truly happy, confident that Max would be thrilled with the news. Charles was so lost in his thoughts of Max's joyful reaction that he didn't notice his hands gently cradling his bare stomach, where there was no sign of the life growing inside, but soon would be.
"Mon cher, my little one. You're probably no bigger than a sunflower seed right now, but I love you, and your papa will love you too, as soon as he finds out," the omega murmured, gently stroking his stomach, trying to convey all the feelings he was experiencing, oblivious to the bathroom door opening and the Dutchman emerging, clad only in boxers and a towel on his head. Charles quickly pulled his hands away, not wanting to reveal his secret to Max prematurely. After all, he had a plan. Max was on pole position, so a podium finish was guaranteed for his alpha, and Charles had qualified fifth, which he could easily turn into at least third place. The idea was to tell Max the news either on the podium or in the cool-down room. The advantages were obvious: they'd be celebrating the race results, and they'd be filmed from all angles, allowing Charles to relive the moment a hundred thousand times. The disadvantages, if any, were irrelevant to him at the moment.
"Are you talking to someone?" Max asked, still damp from the shower, looking questioningly at the Ferrari driver.
"No, just, uh... remembering song lyrics," Charles stammered, shifting uncomfortably and preparing to get up to avoid further questions. But Max stepped closer, leaning in. "Charles, are you alright?"
"Yeah, of course. I need to shower too, move," Charles said, slipping out from under his boyfriend's looming figure and heading for the bathroom, hoping he didn't seem too suspicious.
Max was puzzled, of course, but he knew his partner would tell him what was wrong when he was ready.
During his shower, Charles's thoughts alternated between the upcoming race and the possibility of revealing his pregnancy. The mental back-and-forth was exhausting. And the end of the season, with the chance to win the constructors' championship, was particularly draining.
He paused his hair washing and reached down to his lower abdomen again, thinking about the changes his body would undergo. He knew that his athletic build and height would make his pregnancy look different from other omega females, but he still looked forward to holding and touching his growing belly, where their baby would be growing.
"Shattie, are you almost done? I've warmed up the food containers," Max called out, ever the more organized of the two in the mornings, already preparing breakfast.
"Coming!" Charles replied, stepping out of the shower and drying himself with a soft towel. Speaking of soft fabrics, they'd need to enlarge their nest at home to accommodate a pup, or maybe even two, in case they were twins.
Approaching the dining table, Charles hugged his alpha and kissed him softly on his plump lips. He wondered what features their baby would inherit.
"You smell like happiness," the Dutchman said, resting his hands on his partner's waist and smiling broadly.
"Maybe it's because I'm happy," the Ferrari driver giggled.
Breakfast passed with talk of the day's race, the weather, and other trivialities.
***
The paddock before the race start was, as usual, chaotic. VIP guests strolled around, curious onlookers peered about, journalists tried to snag interviews with celebrities or officials, mechanics and engineers warmed up or hurried about their business, and the drivers prepared to climb into their cars and bring home as many points as possible.
After Charles and Max parted ways, each focused on their team duties.
After an intense stretching and massage session, Andrea couldn't hold back any longer. "So? Have you told Max yet?"
"No, I have a surprise planned," Charles replied, feeling relaxed and confident after the massage.
"Oh really? What kind of surprise?" Andrea raised an eyebrow, staring intently at his driver.
"A surprise is a surprise, you'll see when I pull it off," Charles said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"For some reason, I'm scared," Andrea chuckled, pausing for a moment before adding, "You're glowing, kid. I'm genuinely happy for you and Max. And just so you know, I'll always support you." The beta opened his arms for a hug, expressing his affection for the driver he'd been looking after for years.
Surprised, Charles jumped up and wrapped his arms around Andrea like a koala. "Thanks, that means a lot."
"Oh my god, don't cry. You still have a podium to climb today, if I understood your 'surprise' correctly," Andrea said, patting Charles on the back, while the omega laughed happily, not surprised that his trainer had figured it out.
***
The race was incredibly challenging and eventful. But Charles was pleased with the result – three positions gained, a podium finish, more points than McLaren, and most importantly, Max was also on the podium, which fit perfectly into his plan.
Pulling into the parc fermé, the drivers, exhausted and drained, slowly climbed out of their cars and greeted their teams.
Max went straight to Charles after hugging his mom and sister, they had some time to chat while Oscar was giving his interview. Max and Charles shook hands and embraced, smiling at the prospect of celebrating together on the podium.
"It's damn hot here, how are you feeling?" the alpha asked, eager to check on his partner after 57 laps in the sweltering heat. The Red Bull driver still held onto the shoulder of the red-suited figure.
"Had a few issues with the tires, but overall, a good race," Charles replied, continuing to smile at his alpha's happy face, feeling a surge of anticipation for the podium. "
"Did you run over any mirror shards? Several cars had tire punctures."
"No, everything was fine. But..." Their conversation was cut short, as expected, by the end of the P3 driver's interview. It was Charles's turn to discuss his race.
***
All three were relieved to finally be in the cool-down room. By the time Max arrived, Charles was already deep in conversation with Oscar about the race, and the upcoming constructors' championship battle with McLaren.
Max entered the room and immediately joined the discussion about the safety car. Just a few minutes later, the Australian was called to the podium. Charles followed, turning to his alpha with sparkling green eyes and a teasing smile. "Too bad I can't celebrate with champagne today," he said to the Dutchman, then turned and headed for the podium, as if he hadn't just dropped a bombshell.
"Uh... Wait, what are you talking about?" Max asked, completely baffled, staring blankly at the exit of the cool-down room. Just then, he heard his name being called and was pushed to go out.
Max knew he couldn't look confused in front of the crowds and online viewers, so he forced himself to smile, waving to the fans and his team below. The alpha continued to glance at the overly happy Monegasque, whose smile and dimples were practically glowing. The four-time world champion still couldn't connect the dots and figure out why his partner couldn't drink champagne. Was he sick? Had something happened during the race that Charles hadn't mentioned? But he looked perfectly fine after getting out of the car, and he'd been smiling all weekend.
The drivers received their trophies, shook hands with the officials, and the familiar Dutch and Austrian anthems played. Max continued to smile at his team and family below the podium, but couldn't resist checking on Charles a few more times.
When the anthems ended, the four drivers found their bottles, and the post-race celebration began. Max and Charles immediately turned to each other, spraying the foamy liquid into each other's faces. Oscar and a Red Bull team member joined in, and within seconds, everyone was soaked from head to toe. They formed a circle and raised their bottles for the few remaining sips, except for Charles. He stood facing the Dutchman, looking directly into his eyes, as if waiting for something.
"Charles, what's wrong?" Max asked, tilting his head slightly and looking questioningly at his partner.
"Well, I told you I couldn't," Charles replied, his face beaming with excitement.
"Right, about that. You said before we came out that..." Max began, reaching for his partner's waist, but was interrupted by Charles's actions. The omega gently placed his hands on his lower abdomen, right where...
Max's eyes were fixed on the spot where his partner's hands rested.
1...
2...
3...
Max literally dropped his bottle and gasped. His eyes widened, and his mouth fell open in surprise and realization.
"Did it finally click?" Charles asked, looking down shyly at his stomach and the hand that continued to stroke the fireproof fabric.
"You... you're not kidding, are you?" the Dutchman stammered, his eyes filling with tears. He looked up at his partner, his beautiful partner, the person he loved more than life itself, the person who loved him in return. The love of his life, who had just announced that they were going to have a baby, a little human who would be the proof of their bond, their feelings, everything wonderful they had shared.
Max was shaking, unable to hold back the joyful sobs that welled up in his chest. He reached for Charles, hugging him tightly, as if afraid he would be snatched away. "You're not kidding, you're not kidding. We're going to have a baby, we're going to be parents, I'm going to be a dad," the alpha whispered into Charles's neck, showering him with tender words.
They were oblivious to the people around them, the cameras (which the Monegasque was particularly happy about). Nothing else mattered.
"Are you happy?" Charles asked, hugging his silly, adorable alpha, a hint of worry in his voice, despite knowing Max was crying tears of joy.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes. I'm the happiest person in the world right now," the alpha replied, burying his nose in the curly hair at the nape of his partner's neck, his almost-fiancé and husband, the ring already bought (it was a secret).
"Everything alright, guys?" the ever-unflappable McLaren driver asked, looking at his colleagues who were hugging a little too close.
"Yeah, Oscar, everything's great. Come on, Maxi, we should probably get off the podium," Charles said, pushing his alpha towards the cool-down room, realizing they had made quite a scene and probably embarrassed every media manager in the paddock.
Max still clung to his pregnant partner. Having snapped out of his semi-shocked, semi-intoxicated state, his protective instincts kicked in, and his only thought was to keep his omega safe, take him somewhere comfortable, and give him whatever he wanted.
Charles Leclerc, the boy who challenged him on the karting track, the teenager who made him angry and frustrated with his racing skills, the guy who shared some of the most thrilling battles of his career, the man who offered care and understanding when needed, the one Max Verstappen loved and cherished, was about to give them a new little life.
Max was certain that not even winning ten titles would make him as happy as this news.